> Also is it even possible to standardize error handling best practices across entirely different software components like an OS kernel, a web service and a CLI

> Also is it even possible to standardize error handling best practices across entirely different software components like an OS kernel, a web service and a CLI tool? I agree that "what to do about errors" differs a lot in those domains (and even more in some others, like embedded). That's not a reason not to standardize - it's something the standard needs to take into account. Ideally, if I am writing a bit of code that could be in more than one of those domains, there is something standard I can do about errors that will provide sufficient flexibility to my users that I can act appropriately to the domain I actually find myself in. Without too much complexity.